阅读说明：本技术 橙汁的生产 (Orange juice production ) 是由 付天娇 克里斯特·兰青格 拉尔斯·博·拉森 梅拉·克雷莫内西 罗伯特·塔考·雅达 阿鲁西奥 于 2019-09-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：描述了橙汁(108)的产生。在超滤器(107)中将生橙汁(102)超滤,从而获得渗余物(106)和渗透物(104)。在巴氏灭菌器(113)中仅将渗余物(106)巴氏灭菌。在混合单元(109)中将经巴氏灭菌的渗余物(106)和渗透物(104)混合。从而在橙汁(108)中实现酶和微生物的最小化。(Production of orange juice (108) is described. Raw orange juice (102) is ultrafiltered in an ultrafilter (107) to obtain a retentate (106) and a permeate (104). Only the retentate (106) is pasteurized in the pasteurizer (113). The pasteurized retentate (106) and permeate (104) are mixed in a mixing unit (109). Thereby achieving enzyme and microorganism minimization in the orange juice (108).)

1. A method for producing orange juice (108), comprising:

-cooling (201) raw orange juice (102),

-ultrafiltering (203) the cooled raw orange juice (102) to produce a permeate (104) and a retentate (106);

-pasteurizing (205) the retentate (106),

-combining (207) the permeate (104) and the pasteurized retentate (106) to produce an orange juice (108), the orange juice (108) having an enzymatic pectinesterase PEU content of less than 1% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice (102), and

-aseptically filling (209) the packages (117) with said orange juice (108) produced by said mixing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

-the PEU content of the retentate (106) is between 180% and 190% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice (102) before the pasteurization, and

-after said pasteurization, the PEU content of said retentate (106) is between 0.5% and 0.7% of the PEU content of said raw orange juice (102).

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein:

-the PEU content of said permeate (104) is comprised between 1.1% and 1.3% of the PEU content of said raw orange juice (102).

4. The method of any of claims 1-3, wherein:

-the number of lactic bacteria colony forming units CFU per ml in said orange juice (108) produced by said mixing is less than 1% of the number of lactic bacteria CFU per ml in said raw orange juice (102).

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, wherein:

-in said retentate (106), before said pasteurisation, the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml is comprised between 900% and 1100% of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in said raw orange juice (102), and

-in said retentate (106), the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml after said pasteurisation is comprised between 0.5% and 0.7% of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in said raw orange juice (102).

6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein:

-the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in said permeate (104) is comprised between 0.5% and 0.7% of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in said raw orange juice (102).

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein:

-said vitamin C content is greater than 99% of the vitamin C content of said raw orange juice (102) in the orange juice (108) produced by said mixing.

8. The method of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein:

-in said retentate (106), prior to said pasteurization, said vitamin C content is comprised between 99% and 100% of said vitamin C content of said raw orange juice (102), and

-in said retentate (106), said vitamin C content is comprised between 95% and 97% of said vitamin C content of said raw orange juice (102) after said pasteurization.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein:

-in said permeate (104), said vitamin C content is comprised between 101% and 103% of said vitamin C content of said raw orange juice (102).

10. The method of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein:

-in said orange juice (108) produced by said mixing, an essential oil content greater than 95% of said essential oil content of said raw orange juice (102).

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein:

-in said retentate (106), before said pasteurization, an essential oil content comprised between 210% and 230% of said essential oil content of said raw orange juice (102), and

-in said retentate (106), said essential oil content is comprised between 200% and 210% of said essential oil content of said raw orange juice (102) after said pasteurization.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein:

-in said permeate (104), said essential oil content is comprised between 4% and 6% of said essential oil content of said raw orange juice (102).

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the ultrafiltration (203) is performed at a temperature in the range of 14-16 degrees celsius.

14. A system (100) for producing orange juice (108), comprising:

-a heat exchanger (103) configured to cool raw orange juice (102),

-an ultrafilter (107) configured to ultrafilter the cooled raw orange juice (102) to produce a permeate (104) and a retentate (106);

a pasteurizer (113) configured to pasteurize the retentate (106),

-a mixing unit (109) configured to mix the permeate (104) and the pasteurized retentate (106) to produce an orange juice (108), the orange juice 108 having an enzymatic pectinesterase content of less than 1% of the enzymatic pectinesterase content of the raw orange juice (102), and

-an aseptic filling machine (115) configured to aseptically fill the package (117) with the orange juice (108) produced by the mixing unit (109).

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the ultrafilter (107) comprises a ceramic membrane having a pore size of 20nm and a channel size of 4 mm.

Technical Field

Embodiments herein relate to methods and systems for producing orange juice.

Background

Starting from freshly squeezed orange juice (commonly referred to as raw orange juice), orange juice products having a natural flavor are produced while maximizing the shelf life of the orange juice product and minimizing the negative effects of pasteurization on orange juice quality, which requires numerous processing steps. In prior art production methods and systems, shelf life has been extended using membrane filtration techniques and pasteurization for removal.

However, prior art solutions typically focus on only a single part of the production process. None of the prior art solutions provide an orange juice product having a natural flavor similar to freshly squeezed orange juice while having a shelf life similar to pasteurized orange juice.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, it is an object of the present disclosure to improve upon the prior art to produce orange juice having a taste and quality similar to freshly extracted juice, while still providing a longer shelf life than freshly extracted juice.

In a first aspect, the object is achieved by a method for producing orange juice. The method includes cooling the raw orange juice. The cooled raw orange juice is ultrafiltered to produce a permeate and a retentate. The retentate is pasteurized and then mixed with the permeate to produce an orange juice having a Pectin Esterase (PEU) content of less than 1% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice. The package was aseptically filled with orange juice produced by mixing.

By ultrafiltering raw orange juice and thereby obtaining a retentate and a permeate, and then pasteurizing only the retentate, enzymes and microorganisms detrimental to the quality of the orange juice are minimized in the mixed juice. By not pasteurizing the permeate, the flavor and aroma components of smaller molecular size will pass through the membrane and remain in the permeate, and thus the permeate will retain the natural flavor and freshness of the freshly extracted orange juice. This is advantageous over prior art processing of orange juice, which typically involves direct pasteurization of the raw orange juice. The method according to the first aspect has the effect of minimizing the heat load of the freshly extracted orange juice, so that a relatively small, e.g. maximally 30%, fraction of the total volume of the raw orange juice will be subjected to the heat treatment. As a result, the quality (e.g., in terms of flavor) of the orange juice is improved. Establishing production to achieve a PEU content of less than 1% of the enzyme Pectinesterase (PEU) content of raw orange juice has been shown to be a very important parameter in an effort to achieve the above objectives.

According to a possible form of the invention, ultrafiltration is the only membrane filtration that occurs between the cooling of the raw orange juice and the aseptic filling of the orange juice product. Examples of membrane filtration may be microfiltration or further ultrafiltration. The raw orange juice is subjected to only one filtration by membrane filtration, which is the above mentioned ultrafiltration, and the raw orange juice is separated into a retentate and a permeate. Thus, the object stated in the present application is achieved by only one membrane filtration. In addition, having only one membrane filtration reduces the complexity and cost of the process and system for obtaining orange juice.

Herein, membrane filtration is any filtration using a membrane capable of filtering particles or organisms having a micron size (e.g., microns).

As will be illustrated in the detailed description that follows, the method has an effect on, i.e., provides values for, the lactic acid bacteria Colony Forming Unit (CFU) content, the vitamin C content, the pH, and the essential oil content of the blended orange juice. These effects are all advantageous in terms of: the quality and flavor of the orange juice is maintained after mixing while providing an orange juice having a shelf life at least similar to the quality and flavor and shelf life of NFC (not concentrated) orange juice.

In a second aspect, a system for producing orange juice is provided. The system includes a heat exchanger configured to cool raw orange juice. The ultrafilter of the system is configured to ultrafilter the cooled raw orange juice to produce a permeate and a retentate. A pasteurizer of the system is configured to pasteurize the retentate. The mixing unit of the system is configured to mix the permeate and the pasteurized retentate to produce an orange juice having an enzymatic pectin esterase content of less than 1% of the enzymatic pectin esterase content of the raw orange juice. The aseptic filling machine of the system is configured to aseptically fill the package with orange juice produced by mixing.

This further aspect provides effects and advantages corresponding to the effects and advantages as outlined above in connection with the first aspect. All features and variations described herein in connection with the method according to the first aspect may be used in the system according to the second aspect, and vice versa.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for producing orange juice, an

Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method of producing orange juice.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, an embodiment of a system 100 for producing orange juice 108 will now be described, the orange juice 108 retaining a substantial portion of the quality and flavor of the freshly extracted orange juice 102 as described above. The system 100 is connected to a measurement and control system 120 that includes processing and memory devices 122, 124. The processing and memory devices 122, 124 are configured with software instructions that obtain measurements from sensors 127, schematically shown in the system 100, via signal lines 121, and control the system 100 to perform the processing described herein. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the sensors 127 are configured such that they provide measurement signals representative of any desired parameter associated with the production of the orange juice 102, as will be discussed further below.

The system 100 includes a holding tank 101, the holding tank 101 containing raw orange juice 102 obtained according to known techniques, for example, raw orange juice 102 obtained by squeezing freshly picked oranges in a suitably configured orange press.

The raw orange juice 102 is passed through a heat exchanger 103 to achieve a temperature suitable for the subsequent filtration step. It has been found that suitable temperatures may be in the interval 14-16 ℃. For example, a heat exchanger of the type named "C3-SR" supplied by Alfa Laval, Inc. may be used for this purpose, or any other suitable heat exchanger may be used.

A conventional fluted filter 105 is disposed downstream of the heat exchanger 103 to remove undesirable large pulp particles from the raw orange juice 102.

An ultrafilter 107 is disposed downstream of the fluted filter 105 to separate the raw orange juice 102 into a permeate 104 and a retentate 106. The ultrafilter 107 may be, for example, a ceramic type filter having a membrane with a pore size of 19 to 21nm, or a pore size of 20nm, a channel size of 3.5 to 4.5mm, or a channel size of 4 mm. The main function of the ultrafilter 107 is to separate the inlet stream into two other streams: a retentate 106 and a permeate 104. To perform this separation, a pressure of 2.3 to 2.7 bar, or more specifically 2.5 bar, is applied to the raw orange juice 102 and the product is passed through the ceramic membrane. The retentate 106 remains on the membrane and the permeate 104 passes through the membrane. The concentration factor of the ultrafilter 107 is in the range of 2.7 to 3.4. The concentration factor is determined as the starting volume divided by the final volume, i.e. the volume of raw juice 102 entering the ultrafilter 107 divided by the volume of retentate 106 leaving the ultrafilter 107.

The retentate 106 leaving the ultrafilter 107 enters a retentate holding tank 111. Retentate storage tank 111 may be a buffer tank and has a jacket through which ice water may flow to maintain retentate 106 at a temperature below 14 ℃. Retentate storage tank 111 may also have an agitator to homogenize retentate 106.

The pasteurizer 113 receives the retentate 106 from the retentate storage tank 111 and pasteurizes the retentate 106. For example, the pasteurizer 113 may be a tubular heat exchanger that heats the retentate 106 to a temperature of at least 95 ℃ by indirect heat exchange. The retentate 106 is held at a minimum of 95 ℃ for at least 30 seconds to inactivate the enzymes and kill the deteriorating and pathogenic microorganisms.

The mixing unit 109 is connected such that it receives the permeate 104 from the ultrafilter 107 and is connected such that it receives the pasteurized retentate 106 from the pasteurizer 113. The mixing unit 109 is also configured to mix the permeate 104 and the pasteurized retentate 106 to produce the orange juice 108. Mixing unit 109 can be a sterile storage tank that can include a flow recycler and/or an agitator for effectively mixing retentate 106 and permeate 104. For example, mixing may be achieved in other ways by using so-called in-line mixing, wherein the permeate 104 and the retentate 106 are fed into the same fluid line, e.g. via branch lines. The mixture of permeate 104 and retentate 106 forms the final orange juice 108.

The aseptic filling machine 115 is connected to receive the orange juice 108 from the mixing unit 109 and is arranged to aseptically fill the package 117 with the orange juice 108. The filling machine may be any conventional machine configured for aseptically filling packages with liquid food.

The raw orange juice 102, permeate 104, retentate 106 and final orange juice 108 are fed between the various components and units of the system 100 and the desired pressure levels are achieved through the use of conventional pumps (not shown) controlled by the control system 120.

The system 100 operates to produce orange juice 108 from raw orange juice 102, as described below. Various parameters are obtained from the raw orange juice 102, the permeate 104, the retentate 106, and the orange juice 108 after mixing in the mixing unit 109 before and after passing through the pasteurizer 113, as will be exemplified in more detail below. These parameters are obtained by the above-described procedure and can be measured by the sensor 127 and by sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis as described below:

the pH value was obtained by a conventional pH meter. Brix values were obtained by a conventional Brix meter. Vitamin C values were obtained by conventional methods using sampling and subsequent laboratory titration analysis. Enzyme values were obtained by sampling and by PEU testing as described by Dan A. Kimball in "Citrus Processing: Quality Control and Technology". Total lactic acid bacteria values and listeria monocytogenes values were obtained by sampling and subsequent routine laboratory methods. Essential oil values were obtained by using the Scott method (bromide-bromate solution), which is also described by Dan a. kimball in "Citrus Processing: a Complete Guide". Essential oils are a mixture of oils (hydrocarbons) present in the orange, which typically contain more than 90% D-limonene. The color and brightness values are obtained by colorimetry measurements using conventional equipment, such as a cunica Minolta (Konica Minolta) model CM-2600d spectrophotometer. The acidity (nitric acid) value was obtained by using sodium hydroxide titration.

Turning now to fig. 2, with continued reference to fig. 1, software instructions stored in memory 124 may be executed by processor 122 in measurement and control system 120 to obtain measurable values and provide control signals to system 100 via signal line 121 to perform the method for producing orange juice 108 having the values and characteristics discussed herein.

Such a process involves cooling 201 the raw orange juice 102, and as shown in fig. 1, the raw orange juice 102 may originate in the holding tank 101 and be cooled in the heat exchanger 103 to a temperature suitable for subsequent ultrafiltration.

The cooled raw orange juice 102 is ultrafiltered 203 in an ultrafilter 107 to produce a permeate 104 and a retentate 106. Suitable temperatures for ultrafiltration raw orange juice 102 are in the range of 14-16 deg.C. As shown in fig. 1, the cooled raw orange juice 102 may optionally be filtered in a tank filter 105 and then ultrafiltered in an ultrafilter 107.

The retentate 106 from the ultrafiltration 203 is pasteurized 205 in a pasteurizer 113. Optionally, retentate 104 may exit ultrafilter 107 into retentate storage tank 111 before being provided to pasteurizer 113. For pasteurization 205, the pasteurization temperature was 95 ℃ and the retentate was held at this temperature for at least 30 seconds.

The permeate 104 and the pasteurized retentate 106 are mixed 207 in a mixing unit 109 to produce orange juice 108. Orange juice 108 has an enzyme Pectinesterase (PEU) content of less than 1% of the PEU content of raw orange juice 102.

Then, the juice 108 obtained by mixing 207 is aseptically filled, 209 and packaged 117.

In one embodiment, the raw orange juice 102 entering the filter 107 has not undergone any prior microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration or reverse osmosis filtration, while neither the permeate 104 nor the retentate 106 exiting the filter 107 has undergone any subsequent microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration or reverse osmosis filtration. In other words, the only filtration used in the process is one step of ultrafiltration, which does not include coarse filtration other than microfiltration (e.g., filtration in the sump filter 105).

In the process for producing orange juice 108, it has been found that the PEU content of the retentate 106 prior to pasteurization 205 should be between 180% and 190% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice 102, and that the PEU content of the retentate 106 after pasteurization 205 should be between 0.5% and 0.7% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice 102. In addition, it has been found that the permeate 104 should have a PEU content between 1.1% and 1.3% of the PEU content of the raw orange juice 102.

In the method for producing orange juice 108, the number of lactic acid bacteria Colony Forming Units (CFU) per milliliter in the orange juice 108 produced by the blend 207 is less than 1 percent of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per milliliter in the raw orange juice 102. Furthermore, in the retentate 106, the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml before pasteurization 205 was comprised between 900% and 1100% of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in the raw orange juice 102, and in the retentate 106, the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml after pasteurization 205 was comprised between 0.5% and 0.7% of the number of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in the raw orange juice 102. In addition, it has been found that the amount of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in the permeate 104 is between 0.5% and 0.7% of the amount of lactic acid bacteria CFU per ml in the raw orange juice 102.

In the method for producing orange juice 108, it has been found that the vitamin C content in the orange juice 108 produced by the blending 207 is greater than 99% of the vitamin C content of the raw orange juice (102). Further, in the retentate 106, prior to pasteurization 205, the vitamin C content is between 99% and 100% of the vitamin C content of the raw orange juice 102; and in the retentate 106, the vitamin C content is between 95% and 97% of the vitamin C content of the raw orange juice 102 after pasteurization 207. In addition, it was found that the vitamin C content in the permeate 104 was between 101% and 103% of the vitamin C content of the raw orange juice 102.

In the method for producing orange juice 108, it has been found that the pH in the orange juice 108 produced by the blending 207 is between 97% and 98% of the pH of the raw orange juice 102. Further, in the retentate 106, the pH was between 99.7% and 99.9% of the pH of the raw orange juice 102 prior to pasteurization 205; and in the retentate 106, the pH is between 100% and 102% of the pH of the raw orange juice 102 after pasteurization 207. In addition, it was found that in the permeate 104, the pH was between 98% and 99% of the pH of the raw orange juice 102.

In the method for producing orange juice 108, it has been found that the essential oil content in the orange juice 108 produced by the blending 207 is greater than 95% of the essential oil content of the raw orange juice 102. Further, in the retentate 106, prior to pasteurization 205, the essential oil content is between 210% and 230% of the essential oil content of the raw orange juice 102; and in the retentate 106, after pasteurization 205, the essential oil content is between 200% and 210% of the essential oil content of the raw orange juice 102. Further, it has been found that in the permeate 104, the essential oil content is between 4% and 6% of the essential oil content of the raw orange juice 102.

In accordance with the above-described method, the detailed results produced by the operation of system 100 produce the parameter values specified in tables 1a-c, as follows:

table 1a:

table 1b:

table 1c:

other tests showed similar results. The juice is produced in the above-described manner so as to obtain the ranges in question, thereby providing a juice having a taste and quality similar to freshly extracted juice. At the same time, the shelf life of the juice 108 is much longer than that of freshly extracted juice, and when stored at temperatures up to 5 ℃ or even up to 8 ℃, the shelf life exceeds 60 days.